Page 1 of 1

Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:17 pm
by millergrovesue
Currently snowing heavily in Miller Grove. Very small flakes. About a million birds at the feeders, suet, and the food I've scattered on the ground. Very nice to watch ---- from inside. Not very many goldfinches this year but plenty of cardinals, starlings, redwing blackbirds, cowbirds, purple finches, assorted sparrows, doves, titmice, ladder backed woodpeckers, chickadees, grass finches, eastern meadowlarks (not at the feeders), and a junco or 5. No crows currently in sight.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:19 pm
by millergrovesue
This is one of the joys of officing at home and having a bay window in my office. :D

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:48 pm
by crocmommy
My dad's house is like that too. It's nice to sit out on his porch in the early morning and watch.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 1:10 pm
by Red Oak
This afternoon I will go by the little local park and feed the ducks a few pounds of cheap dog food.

When no one goes to the park the ducks don't get feed.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 1:39 pm
by GRANDPA
Some birds I've seen in parks ccould do without a meal or two. It's a wonder they can fly at all.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:29 pm
by Red Oak
Mixed in with the Park Ducks were some wild Redheads or Mallards.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:08 pm
by LibraryLady
We had 6 male cardinals out at ours a little while ago.
I think we have perches for 80 finches and all the perches are filled with goldfinch or house finch with a few pine siskins in the mix.
Cardinals, junkos and dove round out "the usuals." Darned blackbirds are trying to come in also today.
Can't blame the creatures for wanting food.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 5:07 pm
by Red Oak
Racist ! :lol:

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 5:51 pm
by millergrovesue
Red Oak wrote:Mixed in with the Park Ducks were some wild Redheads or Mallards.



Nice of you to feed the guys............and very nice to give them something more nutritious than bread. Seems that's what a number of folks throw out.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 5:58 pm
by millergrovesue
LibraryLady wrote:We had 6 male cardinals out at ours a little while ago.
I think we have perches for 80 finches and all the perches are filled with goldfinch or house finch with a few pine siskins in the mix.
Cardinals, junkos and dove round out "the usuals." Darned blackbirds are trying to come in also today.
Can't blame the creatures for wanting food.


Yeah, I despise the frigging squirrels, who have just destroyed my 4th squirrel proof feeder, but everyone has to eat. I keep telling myself that God loves the cowbirds as much as the cardinals so I have no business being resentful of the "ugly" birds getting their share.

In the winter I typically 20 or so male and the same number of female cardinals at a time. I'm sure it's because my closest neighbors are at least a quarter of a mile away and I don't think any neighbors within a mile or more feed the birds. Makes for a wonderful variety. Since we've been feeding them for more than 25 years at the same location they have learned this place is dependable.

I also have a water garden right outside my bay window so have lots of birds (and damned squirrels) using it year round. My very favorites are a pair or 2 of Painted Buntings during the summer. They love the seeds of crabgrass as well as the water feature.

Yep, I love the birds!

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:13 pm
by Red Oak
Squirrels are good pan fried and served with cream gravy.

Cheap dog food is mostly corn and bone meal, ideal food for water fowl.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 7:16 am
by ann jusko
My husband has been busy keeping the feeders full. He also puts some on the ground since so many are at the feeders. He usually throws sunflower seeds at the base of trees for the squirrels. We have had tons of yellow finches...they have their own feeders. But we have hedges about 30 ft. tall that have purple berries and they seem to love those tiny berries.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 5:14 pm
by LibraryLady
When I was in charge of the feeders, I used safflower 'cause the squirrels won't eat it, but the songbirds will.

My husband insists on sunflower seeds and then spends his life cursing the squirrels. It gets tiresome.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 5:50 pm
by Jim Jack
Today has been a banner day for the birds out here in Wise County. I have really enjoyed watching them from my kitchen window.

I don't understand how the same food that attracted only sparrows in Denton draws so many different types out here.

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:44 am
by Houston
the birds have been eating lots of food lately here in Ga too
the squirrels are OK on the ground but when they climb up and get the feeders AND start tearing them apart
well on less squirrel. get the pellet rifle out and zap 'em

Re: Snow & birds

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:30 am
by millergrovesue
LibraryLady wrote:When I was in charge of the feeders, I used safflower 'cause the squirrels won't eat it, but the songbirds will.

My husband insists on sunflower seeds and then spends his life cursing the squirrels. It gets tiresome.


I tried safflower. The birds out here wouldn't eat it at all. Go figure.

I love how Neil Sperry is forever saying that black oil sunflower seeds won't sprout. Uh, wrong, Neil. The ones I use sprout just as readily as the striped seeds.......which I can not find anywhere.